Damn Good Times
by Noacat
Summary: It's girl's night out at Costa Del Sol. A night for fun. A night for laughs. A night for drinking games and bar fights. Rated for Language. COMPLETE.
1. The Halter Top Situation

"Are you _sure_ it's not too low cut?" Aeris questioned, anxiously.

Tifa sighed and rolled her eyes in exasperation as she tied the straps to her friend's backless halter-top. This argument had been on going since they'd bought the top from one of Costa Del Sol's street vendors earlier that day. The flower girl stood there, being anything but still. She'd tied the same strap around about ten times because of her endless fidgeting and Tifa was about at the end of her rope.

"For the fiftieth time, NO!" She said, finality in her voice, "You look great!"

"But..." Aeris replied with a little frustrated grunt, her voice dipping into a low whisper, "You can see _everything_..."

Tifa tilted back her head and made a sound somewhere between a grunt and a sigh, "That's kind of the point, 'Ris."

Aeris turned and scowled at her, a funny little pout on her face. She looked like a baby with severe gas and Tifa laughed at her. It didn't improve the flower girl's mood and she glared at her friend darkly. Tifa smiled and wiggled her eyebrows as she finished tying the halter's straps.

"You look GORGOUS."

Aeris half smiled, half grimaced and stuck her tongue out before turning back to examine herself in the mirror. The childishness of the gesture added to that strange aura of innocence that seemed to be the natural core of the flower girl's personality. Tifa had at first wondered how much of that innocence was real, if it was a put on. Getting to know Aeris over the last few weeks, she realized it was most certainly not a put on. The girl was really that naive and sometimes it was hard for her to remember that Aeris was two years older than her. She wondered how Aeris escaped Midgar unspoiled, how had she evaded the inevitable pitfalls of life underneath that sinful city? From the moment Tifa had set foot in Midgar she knew it for what it was. It was a soul sucking miasma, draining all who entered it of their love and emotion. Leaving behind lifeless husks. It tainted people; knowing this, it had even affected her somewhat. Hardening her heart even more than the scars of her past had. Yet here Aeris was, living her whole life in that city, seemingly untouched, untainted. Inexplicably sweet and gentle, so sheltered that the thought of exposing a little skin set her to blushing bright crimson.

Yuffie ducked in at that precise moment, her eyes bugging out when she saw Aeris. "HOLY SHIT! AERIS?!! ZAT YOU?"

The flower girl spun around, a look of worry plastered on her delicate features, "I _TOLD_ YOU IT WAS TOO LOW CUT!!"

Tifa's lips tightened into a thin line and she shot Yuffie a nasty look before replying, "It is NOT! You look beautiful."

Aeris opened her mouth to object but Yuffie cut her off, "Oh, quit bein' such a prude! You look hot...with two T's and a silent Q." She said it with a grin, and the flower girl gave her a look of annoyed befuddlement. She shrugged, leaving Aeris to unravel the meaning behind her comment on her own before turning to Tifa. "Hey, Teef..Got any hair gel I can borrow? Spike's all out..."

"No. Alls I got is mousse."

"Cool. Gimme."

Tifa thought to make her ask for the magic word, but she didn't feel like playing mind games with the young ninja at the moment. She grabbed the mousse off the dresser and tossed it at her. Yuffie caught it one handed, twirling it with a flourish to demonstrate her skill.

"Thanks, blizzitch!" she said, with a wink and a nod.

Tifa shook her head and gave her an oh-god-three-sixty as the young ninja hopped out of the room. She watched Yuffie head towards the closed bathroom door, still very obviously half dressed. The young girl had her battle worn shorts on, still smudged and torn from travel but she'd changed into the shirt she'd bought earlier today. It was a brightly patterned short-sleeved peasant shirt that fit the girl's youthful character without being overly revealing. With the fuss Aeris had made, Tifa was glad she wouldn't have to argue with Yuffie over what to wear. Tifa hadn't even began to get ready beyond the initial shower she took in-between the times when Barrett was hogging it. Aeris was still staring at herself in the mirror, moving back and forth as if considering the possibilities of her new look. The frown of worry was gone, she noted, replaced by a slight smile of appreciation. Tifa grinned, as the flower girl seemed to come to some kind of positive decision and began to brush her hair. Satisfied that the halter-top situation was resolved, Tifa decided to get herself ready. FINALLY.

Yuffie had left their bedroom door wide open and she padded over to close it. Her hand still on the door, she paused as she heard a commotion from across the way. Coming from the general vicinity of the bathroom. Across the hall, brand new drama was unfolding as a potential bathroom related fracas brewed. Tifa lifted her eyebrows and craned her neck, taking a moment to watch as Yuffie banged on the bathroom door. Thumping the hard wood with her tiny, balled fist. Tifa sniggered when the little ninja pulled her hand back and shook it. The door having bested her, she fell back on her old standby. Shouting very loudly. Tifa clamped a hand over her mouth to prevent herself from laughing and revealing her amusement at the girl's predicament. The last thing she heard before shutting the door was Yuffie's high voice hollering with her usual tact.

"OPEN THE DOOR, YA OLD BASTARD! OTHER PEOPLE GOTTA USE THE BATHROOM TOO!!"

Shaking her head and wiping away a few laughter related tears, Tifa turned her back on the closed door, still chuckling. Aeris had apparently ignored the harsh shouts from outside the room Finally she had stopped merely admiring and had accepted, graduating to putting on her makeup. The location was less than ideal. The old-fashioned stand up mirror in their bedroom was unstable and the light in the room was bad. Especially for putting on makeup but there was little choice in the matter, seeing as how the bathroom drama was continuing unabated from the noise that could be heard from outside.

She stared at the door for a moment before turning to Aeris, who was still oblivious to all around her. So wrapped up in her own fastidious routine that she hardly paid any attention to the loud shouts and banging that could be heard just outside their door. Again, she wondered where this girl came from and why in the world she'd come on such a journey. She was delicate and frail, a girly-girl. All makeup and neatly trimmed nails, hardly the type for an arduous cross-country adventure that called for living out in the wild, half the time roughing it. But here she was. Tifa shook her head and turned away. Aeris was too involved with her makeup rituals to notice anything else. Something Tifa was glad of. She was by no means ashamed of her body and she was used to undressing in front of other girls. Having spent the better part of her youth in an all girls' school. But there were things now that she wanted no one too see, that she'd taken care to make sure no one would see. Carefully, she stripped off her worn cotton wife beater and reached into the bag that held her new clothes.

Indeed, Aeris didn't notice at first but the mirror's reflection caught what she didn't. It saw what Tifa sought to hide. Aeris had wondered why Tifa had insisted she buy such a revealing shirt, while she herself had bough a rather conservative top that nearly reached her neck. Now she could see why. As the brunette fighter bent down, her hair parted to reveal an ugly scar that traveled down her back. It was long, thin and very pale in comparison with the rest of her skin, the exact size and shape of the thin blade of a Wutanese katana--if that katana had been plunged through her back and dragged...Aeris paused, the image was too much for her and she stifled a sob. Tifa sensed her attention and turned slightly, clipping on her bra as fast as humanly possible. Pulling on her shirt even faster.

Aeris had stopped all activity, her makeup brush frozen in mid-air, "Is that from...?"

"Yes." Tifa replied, her voice tersely quiet, indicating clearly to the flower girl that she DID NOT want to talk about it.

Aeris respected her wishes, hoping that someday Tifa would trust her enough to open up. But for now, she let it drop. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be..." the fighter answered, just barely keeping tears at bay and it was only by sheer force of will that she didn't break down. Breathlessly, she shook her head and spoke, "Can I borrow your brush? Yuffie stole mine..."

"Sure. Yeah." Aeris said, her voice very soft as she held out her hair brush.

Tifa took it, shrugging off the uncomfortable silence with a smile that told Aeris that there was no harm done. She returned it with one of her own. The flower girl went back to her makeup and Tifa turned to the busy work of dressing herself. She'd bought a rather simple dark blue tank top, with little rhinestones encrusted on it...reminding her of the night sky. It was cut so that it showed off her well-toned stomach, rather than her ample bosom. To go with it, she bought a short jean skirt that hugged her hips; a small gold chain for a belt completed the overall effect of the outfit. At least, that's the way she felt about it. The final touch were a pair of fuck-me pumps. Which was her playful way of referring to a pair of strappy high heels that drew attention to her legs. She just got done tying one shoe when Yuffie burst in and flopped on the bed, still half dressed.

Aeris and Tifa exchanged knowing looks. The flower girl mouthed, "_Should I ask_?" Tifa shook her head, holding her hands up indicating she didn't really want to know.

Aeris did, tilting her head with a sympathetic smile, she asked, "Barrett still in the bathroom?"

"Yes." she replied, tonelessly. Her voice muffled by a pillow, "That must be some monster crap he's taking...It's been--like--four hours already. You two done yet?"

"Almost." Aeris replied, too chipperly and very obviously trying not to laugh as she tried to nonchalantly apply her mascara without smudging it.

Yuffie turned to Tifa, looking up from the pillow as she asked, "What about you?"

Tifa paused, glowering at the young ninja with the bored annoyance of an older sister. Yuffie was still very young and apparently nervous about dressing in the same room with two older women. She couldn't figure out the motivation for such embarrassed squeamishness and she didn't care. It was annoying and pointless.

"OH! For crying out loud! Just change in here!" She snapped, a bemused smile on her face to let the girl know she wasn't seriously angry.

"But I gots to do my hair...and your mirror sucks ass."

Aeris walked around the bed, mussing the young girl's hair, "Excuses, excuses. Use the mirror, I'll be right back."

"Where you goin'?"

"To liberate the bathroom."

Aeris left and the only two people in the room were Tifa and Yuffie. The flower girl's words were true. Yuffie would use the mirror and the bedroom but only if everyone else was gone, leaving her alone. The ninja stared at Tifa's back and slowly she turned her head to meet her gaze.

"Yes?"

"You gonna leave?"

With a loud sigh, Tifa braced her arms against the bed and rose with a huff. She walked towards the door, stopping to glance at the younger girl, her hand still on the knob.

"I've memorized everything that's in here...and if I find one thing missing, I swear to GOD I'll--"

"Yeah, yeah...tear my arms off and beat me to death with them. You threaten with the best.."

"Good. Just so we're on the same page then."

Tifa left the little ninja alone, deciding to help Aeris in the mighty battle for bathroom liberation. When she arrived, it seemed Aeris had things firmly in hand. The door was open and Aeris was in the bathroom, preparing to brush her teeth. Tifa padded over and gave the flower girl a questioning look.

"What did you do?"

Aeris shrugged, "I just asked him."

"Huh." Tifa paused, thinking a minute before asking, "What _was_ he doing in here anyway?"

Aeris gave on of her patented mysterious smiles, which meant she wasn't going to answer. Moments later, it was revealed why. Barrett walked past the doorway, smelling like he'd poured a gallon and a half of aftershave on. Tifa gapped in open surprise at what he was wearing. She had no idea where he'd gotten it, how or even why. It was a full formal naval uniform. Complete with decorate epaulettes. It was almost worse than the sailor suit he'd worn on the trip over here. _Almost_. Tifa could only guess that he'd been in the bathroom all this time preening and the thought disturbed her, mostly because she knew the man to be gruff, hardly the type to pay much attention to physical appearance. He entered the boy's room, exiting moments later with cap in hand. Tifa smacked a hand to her forehead for her curiosity, but she had to know. As he sauntered past the bathroom, she stopped him with a hand.

"Barrett, what's with the get up?"

He smiled broadly, "Got a hot date!"

Tifa's eyebrow's lifted in surprise. _Okay, that was a good sign_; despite the trauma the uniform caused her, "Yes. That doesn't explain _this_.." She said, her hand waving up and down to indicate his outfit.

"Women like a man in uniform." He replied with another grin before waltzing away on cloud nine.

She couldn't help but be happy for him, not like he'd had the best luck with women. _But still_...the doorbell rang and Tifa could only assume that was his date. She smiled softly and whispered to herself, "_You go on with your bad self, Barrett_." Tifa turned her attention back to Aeris, who was still going at her teeth. It was amazing, but somehow she made even spitting out toothpaste graceful and refined. The thought amused her but she kept her peace. The flower girl looked up, and wiped her face off, gazing into the mirror again. She pulled off one a rubber band she'd secured on her wrist and began to pull her long hair into its familiar ponytail.

"Oh, no you don't!"

"What? I can't leave it down...it tickles my back."

"Fine. But let's do something a little more..._elegant_...than a ponytail."

"But I _like_ my ponytail."

"Yes, but this is girl's night out."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning we aren't gonna play by the rules of the man. And the man wants you to wear a ponytail..." Tifa said, nodding her head as if to emphasize her point.

Aeris turned to stare at her, humored and confused at the same time, "What?!"

"I mean, you're young...unattached...and fricking HOT! Ponytails are for little girls...It's girl's night out...anything goes."

"Well if it's _GIRL'S_ night out. Then a ponytail would be..."

"You talk too much, talking cat. Shut up and give me the brush."

Aeris obliged her friend and handed her the brush and her hair band, "....and the talking cat would be Red. Not me."

Red's voice rang out to them from the living room of the rented villa, "I'm not a cat!"

"He could hear that?" Aeris said, surprised.

"Yes."

Both girls burst into a small bout of hushed laughter, which no doubt Red could hear. All the same, they tried to keep themselves from giggling outright. Not wanting to offend their friend. Once they got themselves under control, Tifa set about brushing and arranging Aeris's hair into a bun that was perched slightly to one side of her head. The flower girl gazed at her reflection in the mirror. She smiled, setting down the toilet's cover so that she could sit and keep her friend company while she finished getting ready. They chitchatted while Tifa put on her makeup and flat ironed her hair. Aeris teased her about not doing much of anything different to her hair. But Tifa pointed out quickly that she too usually wore it in a ponytail and leaving it long like this was a change from the norm. Minutes later Yuffie appeared, fully dressed and ready to go.

"ALL MY BITCHES READY TO ROCK?!" She shouted, giving them rock sign with both hands and sticking out her tongue between her teeth.

"Yer funny. You'll be even funnier when I crack you in the head with a pipe." Tifa lifted an eyebrow, enunciating the last word very slowly.

Yuffie narrowed her eyes, turning away from Tifa to glare at Aeris. Doing a passable impression of an imperiously disinterested robot, she spoke to the giggling flower girl, "Your friend is a nerd. On the moon, nerds have their pants pulled down and are spanked with moon rocks."

Tifa had to give that one to her. "Good one. Everyone ready?"

The question was rhetorical and two girls exited the bathroom and got halfway to the living room before noticing their third party member was not with them. Tifa and Yuffie shared a look, each staring at each other hard to determine who would bite the bullet and drag Aeris out. Yuffie won. With a deep sigh, Tifa trudged back to the bathroom where Aeris stood, her hands clasped tightly together with a look of terror on her face.

"Aeris?"

"I can't go out."

"Why?"

"I have to change..."

Tifa rubbed her forehead and winced, "Oh god....No, no you don't..."

And they argued. Aeris gave forty different reasons why she needed to change. It was pointed out that all she had to wear was the one dress she'd brought from Midgar, and that was in the wash with the rest of the clothes. She suggested going and buying a different top, some shops were still open. Tifa nixed this as well. They were taking too long, as evidenced by Yuffie stomping over and joining the fray. Both girls pleaded with Aeris and when she wouldn't budge, they grabbed her by the arms and forcibly removed the flower girl from the bathroom, whining all the way.

As she stumbled into the living room, she wailed, "But I look like a hootchie!!" And the way she said it was so stilted and childlike that Tifa and Yuffie had no real choice but to burst into simultaneous laughter. The flower girl blushed a deep, dark crimson as Cloud took notice of the girls from his seat in the living room. He got up, sauntering over with a look of confusion.

"You all look...nice. What's the occasion?"

Tifa and Yuffie shot each other a look. They'd hoped to sneak out without his notice but Aeris's sudden outburst had alerted him.

It was Yuffie who spoke up first, which was a bad idea, considering her reputation, "No reason. I mean, does a girl really NEED a reason to get dolled up? I don't think so. I mean, you act like we're up to something. And we're not. We're just girls, being girls...doing girly things. Can't you just leave it at that? Must you continue to push and push..."

"Tifa?" Cloud asked, arching an eyebrow.

"_Nice job, twit_." Tifa hissed, smacking the ninja in the arm before turning to Cloud with a bright, conspiracy free smile, "We're having a girl's night out, you know...to blow off steam."

"Out?" He repeated, as if he didn't understand.

"Yes, out. It's that thing you do when you don't want to be in."

"I know what you mean. I meant, why?"

The room quieted and a dull mist of tension hung over the room. Cloud had been jumpy and stressed out since they'd gotten off the boat that morning. Albeit, he had reason but to Tifa the events of their oversea voyage was enough cause for a break. They hadn't seen eye to eye on the issue all day.

"I think you know..." She answered, crossing her arms as she dug in for a fight.

"Teef. We talked about this.."

"No. You talked. I listened and I've had it up to here with your bullshit. We've been at this non-stop for weeks, Cloud. Chasing that man from town to town without a moment's rest. Look at everyone. We need a break."

"Sephiroth's still out there he could..."

"Could what? Catch up on his tan? Fuck, Cloud. Don't be an ass. He's moved on, we're safe...Or are you worried we can't take care of ourselves?"

Cloud recognized the trap he'd fallen into and began to stammer dumbly. Inwardly, Tifa grinned because she knew that she'd gotten him. She loved him with all her heart and his concern was sweet but misplaced. And what really made her mad was that it wasn't her he doubted...wasn't her he was worried about. It's not like she didn't see the way he kept looking over at Aeris. The girl wouldn't break for god's sake!

"It's not that, Teef...it's just...I'd feel more comfortable if I went with."

This was too much for Yuffie to remain quiet, "Oh HELL no! Do you understand the concept of girl's night out? We girls." She said, pointing at herself and her companions, "You, boy." She pointed at Cloud, "We go. You stay. See how that works?"

Cloud scowled at her, "Ha, ha. Real funny. I'm serious."

"So am I, blondie." Yuffie said, stepping up to Cloud and drawing up to her full height. An unimpressive and highly non-threatening five foot two.

"I don't see why Cloud can't come with."

Tifa, Cloud and Yuffie all turned to stare gap mouthed at the flower girl. Cloud grinned, Tifa frowned and Yuffie immediately began to berate her. She pinched the bridge of her nose and gathering all the strength she could, she shouted.

"LET ME FINISH!" the sound was enough to startle everyone into silence, "As I was saying, I don't see why you can't come with. I mean, you're practically one of the girls after that incident at Don Corneo's."

It was said in her normal sweet, dulcet tone but a with a wicked grin that seemed completely out of character, but in Tifa's opinion was very welcome. His eyes widened and slowly Tifa's frown turned into a small smile. Yuffie looked confused and gazed at the three faces in front of her. They were hiding things from her again. She hated that.

"What incident?" no one answered her, and she pouted, "How come nobody ever tells me stuff?"

Meanwhile, Cloud had gone pale, his eyes were wide and staring as he gritted his teeth. The look on his face was meant to silence any further discussion, but Tifa wasn't about ready to stop. All the while, Yuffie rocked back and forth on her feet, whining about not knowing what was going on. Tifa ignored the young ninja, deciding to extend Aeris's little joke.

"You know, you're absolutely right. But you'll have to change because you're really not dressed for the occasion. I saw this cute little pink number down the street that is SO you!"

Aeris shook her head in agreement, her eyes sparkling with mischief, "It'd really bring out the blue in your eyes. We could just pop right over there and..."

Cloud quickly sputtered, hitching his voice deeper to sound more masculine, "N-n-o, no...I...have....things....."

Tifa smiled and patted him on the arm, "Well, you go do...things..."

Slowly the girls filtered out the door without a backward glance, leaving the stunned former SOLDIER alone to pout. He stood there with a scowl for a moment or two, staring at the door as if they'd reconsider and suddenly walk back in. The soft clicking of nails on hard wood jarred him out of his interior thoughts. He turned his head slightly to see Red padding over to him. The fire beast walked languidly, still shaking away the remnants of the afternoon heat. Sidling up next to Cloud, he stretched his front paws out, arching his back before sitting down. With a headshake, he turned his lone eye to Cloud and stared at him. Cloud stared back, giving him a game glare that was supposed to make the animal back away and leave him alone. Red was nonplussed and merely blinked, yawning so widely that his ears flattened back.

"So what happened at Don Corneo's?" the beast asked curiously, with a small snuffle as he became more awake.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"So what did she mean by you being one of the girls?"

Cloud's eye twitched and something in him snapped, "IT WAS JUST ONCE! I WAS UNDERCOVER, GOD DAMMIT! I HAD TO! AND THEY JUST WON'T LET IT DROP! GAAAAAAAAH!" And with that, the beleaguered leader ran his hands through his hair in sheer frustration before attempting to storm off.

"HEY!" Red barked.

"WHAT?!" Cloud snarled, his voice squeaking horribly like a prepubescent boy.

"Could you let me out?"

Cloud's face pinched into a scowl and his eyes narrowed before walking back slowly and letting him out. His eye twitched again and he closed the door. Being the leader had its definite disadvantages and going to bed earlier sounded like a better idea than it had an hour ago.

A/N--This actually started as a short story for Vignettes. It was supposed to be short but somehow it grew. So here it is. There'll only be one more chapter. But I had to write this down. It amused me. I hope it amuses you.


	2. Man it's so loud in here!

_I'm not much of a natural dancer_

_But I've got a friend who's a natural dancer_

_You could call her a jumpin' bean_

_She's got ants in her pants_

_And she's gonna dance_

--They Might Be Giants

Tifa stumbled out of the villa, reigning in the wild desire to go back and force Cloud into the nearest women's apparel shop and strong arming him into going with them in full drag. Not like anyone in the colorful crowd that inhabited the place would mind. Costa del Sol was an open and tolerant town...and it wasn't like he'd be the only man in women's clothing here, Tifa thought to herself. Noting several very good-looking and almost convincing drag queens as they walked past them.

One was a rather tall blond in a beautiful, shimmering pink dress. Tifa nearly burst out laughing, imaging Cloud's face...thinking back to that day she met up with him in Corneo's office and the amusing moment of shock. He really did look cute in that dress and Tifa had been slightly annoyed and jealous that Corneo picked Cloud over her. Until she grabbed hold of the reigns, realizing her luck and Cloud's misfortune. She understood it pricked at his masculinity and he'd only done it to save her. But it was god damned funny. Not just because he got all baloofy about it but because he'd made such a hideous drag queen. Sure, he'd looked cute...but in a kind of disturbing, old world grandma way.

The image of him in the loose fitting gingham dress floated in front of her and without wanting to, she turned to look at Aeris, who was apparently struggling with the same thought. One look. All it took was one look and both girls burst into hysterical laughter as they stumbled drunkenly down the street. All this before a single, actual drink hit their system. Tifa laughed so hard and deep that her throat hurt, the gales of laughter coming out in harsh, breathless gasps. Very soon she had to stop, holding her stomach and brushing away the tears. Aeris did the same, bracing her hands on her knees as she titled her head downwards, still laughing deeply. Yuffie, as always, was perplexed, being out of the loop as it were. She'd given up asking, preferring to wait until they were done before prodding them. Wanting very badly to get on with the drinking. The laughter soon tapered off into dry coughs as the girls resumed walking down Costa del Sol's main strip.

Still wiping away a stray laughter driven tear, she regarded Aeris contemplatively, "You know. I never knew you had such a wicked streak in you. What in the world possessed you to do that?"

"You mean, after we swore ourselves to silence and promised never to mention the 'incident' again?" Tifa nodded and Aeris smiled slowly, the same mischievous one she'd graced the group with earlier, "True evil comes in the most deceptive and innocent of packages."

"And here I thought you were all sweetness and light..."

Aeris narrowed her eyes and shook her fist, "Damn. You found me out! I shall have to kill you now."

"I'm ascared of you." Tifa drawled, wiggling her fingers and purposefully failing to look entirely serious.

"Damn straight. Screw Sephiroth! I'm the one you gotta worry about..." She replied with a grin.

"You realize, of course, this means open season on Cloud. He's never gonna live it down..." Tifa said, thinking for a moment before adding, "How _did_ you get him to do it in the first place?"

"I'm very, very stubborn and persistent. It also helps that I don't take no for an answer..."

Yuffie, up to this point, had tolerated the fact that they'd kept secrets from her. Funny and interesting sounding secrets. It was annoying, but she'd let it drop. But they hadn't stopped talking about it and it needled her. Walking in front of them in a cloud of angry fumes, her hands clasped behind her head, she'd had enough.

"OOOOOOKAY! OLD LADIES! Quit talkin' 'bout stuff I don't know about! Where are we goin'?"

Tifa and Aeris shared a look, raising their eyebrows and making O's of surprise with their mouths. The brunette fighter grinned, holding up her hands and mouthing, _Touchy_. Aeris suppressed a giggle. Yuffie saw this and stuck her tongue out, asking about their destination in less than polite terms. Tifa pointed to a large red and gold neon sign that stood on a two-story nightclub, the sign spelling out in large blinking letters--_The Temple of Doom_. The arc lights in front of the thing moved back and forth, creating little pools of light that trailed across the open sky. The facade was decorated like some of the abandoned cetran temples in Mideel. Complete with 'cracked' bas-relief sculpture and menacing looking stone guardians, all for show, of course.

Yuffie gazed up at the sign, carefully reading it aloud before commenting, "The Temple of Doom? Freaky name for a night club...ominous kind of..."

Tifa nodded, "Yeah. But I heard it was a cool nightspot from some of the locals. Fifty-cent drink specials, special events and the best dance floor this side of the planet. That was enough to convince me...Plus, it's ladies night."

"Shit yeah. That's what I'm talkin' 'bout." Yuffie said, immediately less trepidacious about entering a club with a doom based gimmick name.

"Um...Question?" Aeris asked, holding up a finger as they walked.

All eyes were on her and suddenly she was more nervous. Speaking as the leader of a group was never her thing. She'd always preferred being the back up but...it this was a question that required an answer.

"How is Yuffie getting in? I mean, I know Costa Del Sol's drinking laws are more lax...but she's still under the age limit..."

"How DO you know this shit, Aeris?" Yuffie asked, her tact firmly in place.

"I read the helpful brochure from the nice brochure lady at the visitor's center."

Yuffie and Aeris got into an animated discussion of Costa del Sol's drinking laws and how they were to get her into any of the available clubs. They'd lucked out some, Costa del Sol did allow anyone eighteen years or older to drink. This still left the ponderous question of how to get Yuffie in, being two years under the limit. Yuffie solved the argument by proudly holding out the fake ID she and Tifa had made earlier that day.

Aeris went immediately into mom mode, asking when in the world they had time to make it and how much trouble they could get into if caught. Turning back into that hated good girl that was at times endearing and endlessly annoying at others. Yuffie quickly dismissed her moral outrage with a hand gesture, a joke and a swift turn of subject. Tifa had to admire the little ninja; she was the first among them who'd been able to actually stop one of Aeris's tiresome lectures on ethics. In the grand scheme of things, one fake ID would not undo world order. Considering what they were fighting for, anyway.

While her friends chatted amiably about materia, Yuffie's favorite subject. Tifa turned her gaze and her thoughts to the gaily-colored night and the throng of people that surrounded her. Looking at their faces, she saw how oblivious they were to the world and the threat that had earlier that day, flown over it...to god knows where, for god knows what purpose. The world could end tomorrow, and not a one of them would notice. They'd never know how hard she'd struggled, how all of them had fought. Would they ever? Always, there was the outrage that no one but her and Avalanche seemed to care...but tonight, tonight she wanted to be like them. Oblivious. Because they seemed so alive, the city itself was alive with color and sound and light.

She'd noticed the resort town was a rather lively place as she'd wandered it that afternoon. It retained that same mix of playful tranquility but the night tinged it with sensuality. That vivaciousness transforming from the innocent play of the day to undisguised, unabashed displays of sexuality as the sun went down. Gone were the revealing swimsuits, replaced by equally revealing club clothes. Most of the people filling the strip were no doubt single and looking to either score or just have a damn good time.

Loud music filled the air, along with the mingled laughter and shouts of a thousand people in various stages of drunkenness. The sky would have been a dark blue were it not for the multitudinous lights that burned the darkness away, turning it to a muted purple. Tifa lamented that she couldn't see the stars, and thought that maybe later, she'd have to steal down to the beach and see how far she could go before she'd see them. The night sky on the sea would be worth the trouble.

A breeze rippled off the ocean; it was a cool contrast to the warm, but not unpleasant, temperature that was so constant in this area of the world. She closed her eyes and shivered, enjoying the sensation. It passed over her bare skin and lifted her dark hair off her back. Tifa opened her eyes and smiled dreamily, as her gaze turned back to her friends. Aeris had decided to let Yuffie in on the Don Corneo joke, proving that she really was as evil as she proclaimed.

Cloud would be horrified but it'd be worth it to see his face in the morning. Because Yuffie and secrets were things that didn't get along terribly well. Yuffie had a gift when it came to teasing and though she could be obnoxious sometimes, it was mostly do to her youth and not her sense of humor. Aeris turned back and engaged Tifa, dragging her into the conversation by forcing her to tell her side of the story. Tifa obliged her friend and soon all three were in stitches--walking down the street and laughing, their voices blending in with the rest of the crowd.

The ocean had given them a gift, whether they knew it or not. Tifa had been acutely aware of it, as her burden was in some ways, the largest. She felt contented and at peace, her spirit forgetting its normal restlessness. The need to press forward, the single-minded desire for revenge, disappearing, if only for a moment. Temporarily she forgot about her pain and her troubles in the company of her new found friends. She'd spent so much time around men the last five years, fighting all the time. Never resting. That she'd forgotten what it was like to be a girl, those more motherly, gentle urges taking a backseat for the sake of combat.

Just like riding a bike, it all came back. She felt at that moment like any other girl her age, like any of the women who she shared the street with now. Having laughed harder and longer than she had in _years_. Fun had been such a foreign word. She hadn't really had a scrap of it since _that_ night, when she lost everything that was important to her. The weight that she carried with her lifted and for a moment, she could pretend she didn't mourn the ashes of her hometown and the flame of vengeance that fueled her every step since that day. Unbeknownst to her, the same feeling of relief had flooded her friends.

Music thumped from the club's open doors as the neared it. A small line had already formed in front of it and was roped off in anticipation of more patrons. It was around eight o'clock already and Tifa had expected that they'd arrived early enough to avoid such lines. She guessed wrong, dismissing any annoyance over her error and merely accepting the fact that Costa del Sol was a party town. This thought was lost on Yuffie, who was downright outraged that she had to wait at all.

"Son of a..." she cursed, trailing off as they took their place in line.

It was a mostly pain free wait, if you didn't count Yuffie's grumpy grumbling. The door was reached in a matter of minutes and Tifa refused to let anything bother her. Even Yuffie. At the door the bald, mustachioed bouncer looked them over. He was the kind of person Tifa had tried to avoid as a bar hostess. The kind of guy she'd laid flat on his ass for inappropriate groping and rude suggestions. Oily, was the word she was looking for. This man was one big out of place bag of oil in an oil free universe. She didn't care if he didn't let them in. One touch and she'd make sure he'd be eating with his feet for the rest of his life. His gaze turned immediately to her and Aeris, favoring them with an extra lascivious grin. Toothy and quite oily, rounding out the man's general creepiness. His roaming eyes then wandered to Yuffie and his smile faded, as he looked her up and down appraisingly.

"Naked or what?"

Yuffie had endured the eye wandering but this bizarre question tested her limited patience.

"Excuse me?" She said, holding onto the last syllables of the word excuse to punctuate her aggravation with the man.

"I said....naked or what, baby?"

She was insulted. Not just by the suggestion that she wasn't naked enough but by the way he'd said baby. Pronouncing it Bay-bee....she hated that diminutive, particularly when said that way. Several colorful and not too polite phrases ran through her mind. But she held it back. Her clothes might not show off every bit of skin, but they were comfortable. Women's clothing tended to be restrictive and Yuffie preferred to be ready for action at all times. Like now. Cockily, she tipped her head to the side and with a nimble flick of her wrist, her fingers pressed into several pressure points, rendering the man immobile.

"Or.What." she said slowly, holding out her index finger, she poked the center of his forehead. "Bitch."

The man couldn't move, and could only look on in awe as the tiny girl pushed past him. The last move was meant as a release and he stumbled back as her strikes no longer affected him. He was still disoriented and Tifa took this opportunity to enter the club before he realized what trouble they all could be. Before he had a chance to track them all down and kick them out. She shoved the cover charge in his palm, grabbed Aeris by the wrist and hauled ass into the club. The young ninja had surprisingly waited for them at the door, instead of forging ahead alone. Tifa was relieved and they entered the nightclub together.

If the music was loud from the outside, it was positively deafening on the inside. Slowly, the three girls stepped inside to disappear into the dimly lit interior, becoming one with the gyrating crowd. Yuffie immediately tried to track down a waitress; her sole goal for that evening was to get crocked. With all the talk of Sephiroth, Jenova and all the general world saving weirdness, one night spent at the bottom of a bottle was a good thing. Tifa watched the ninja as she wound through the crowd, dimly aware that she probably shouldn't leave her alone but not really caring enough to track her down.

Instead, she absorbed the club's atmosphere, taking in the dark ambiance of the midnight meat market. That's what she'd always called clubs like these. She watched horny couples grope, grind and practically have sex on the large, lighted dance floor. Her goal for the evening. Aeris was glued to her side, holding onto one arm with a vice like grip. She felt out of place and a bit lost, not really knowing what to do or even where she ought to look. Just as Tifa was going to suggest a move to the dance floor, Yuffie hopped up to them, drink in hand. Her mouth moved and Tifa knew she was talking but the music was too loud. After several confusing moments of muted quasi-conversation, Tifa tired of trying to glean what the ninja was saying and pulled her close.

"What the hell did you just say?" She shouted, being careful to enunciate each word precisely, her mouth near the girl's ear.

"I SAID--MAN! It's so loud in here!!"

Tifa pulled back to give her a look of annoyed disappointment--a '_that's it_?' look that conveyed that she was less than pleased to have the obvious stated. No, _shouted_ right into her ear.

Yuffie seemed unperturbed by Tifa's icy stare. She'd gotten used to being treated like a little sister by the brunette fighter. It was annoying at first, but now she didn't mind so much. She'd always wanted a big sister anyways.

"I'm gonna go look for the bar." Yuffie shouted, holding up her empty glass as a demonstration of her need, "I stole this drink from some drunk chick...cus everyone's dressed so oddly I can't tell the staff from the customers."

Tifa nodded, noting that it was indeed quite hard to tell staff from customer. Everyone was dressed in such scant attire, that they all kind of blended. She watched her go and again was left feeling it was a very bad idea to let a sixteen year old wander alone in a bar. So many years of being everyone's mom and she'd tired of it. Aeris had took up some of the slack but it was still a chore...and tonight was all about fun. That word she hoped to add back into her vocabulary someday. Besides, a few drinks wouldn't hurt the girl. Tifa had spent enough time in Wutai to know that most native kids grew up with a rattle in one hand and a sake bottle in the other.

She turned her attention to the dance floor. Looking back at Aeris, who looked eerily like a wild chocobo that'd been caught in headlights. Her large green eyes were as wide as saucers and danced about the room giddily. She shook her friend's shoulder, pulling her from her dazed amazement. _Dance_? She mouthed, pointing at the dance floor. At first, Aeris was confused but the meaning slowly sunk in and she smiled brightly, nodding her assent.

The held onto each other's hand as they snaked through the throng of people towards the waiting dance floor. She practically dragged Aeris behind her, holding onto her wrist so as not to loose her in the crowd. The minute the flower girl set foot on the dance floor her reticence disappeared and her face brightened with an excited smile. She'd never been on a floor that seemed to illuminate with every step. There was something inexplicably magical about it. Tifa shook her head and laughed. She was enjoying herself, she was happy and it bubbled outwards. That laugh translating into a broad smile as she started to dance.

The lights in the club moved in choreographed motion as the song changed. Tifa had heard it a million times coming from any given radio in Midgar. It was a remix, the regular drums replaced by the synchronized rhythm of a drum machine. She didn't care that she hated the song. That in general, she hated the flat, emotionless tone of the techno songs they played in all these clubs. All thought was washed away as she began to move. The music was a heartbeat and with every thump of the bass she felt more alive. She joined the crowd, becoming one more gyrating dark shape on the dance floor. Moving amongst shafts of smoky light, arms waving, hips shaking rhythmically with the music, heart surrendering to the melody.

Aeris gradually joined her and it made Tifa happy to see her friend roll back the barriers she so often put up. The flower girl spent too much time being mysterious, hiding who she was behind those sparkling, green eyes. Aeris spun, her flowing dress fanning out around her. She wasn't trained to dance, as Tifa had been--having been forced into ballet and gymnastics classes by her overbearing mother. But the Cetra was gifted with natural grace and that was enough to make her movement look flawlessly practiced. Both girls were garnered with more attention that either wanted. Occasionally, Tifa would have to swat off an overeager man who thought he could set his hands to roam where they didn't belong. Causing Aeris to joke that she should have hired Tifa for a bodyguard and not Cloud.

Time seemed to stop all together, her heart was pounding and she was out of breath. But despite this, she kept dancing; nothing else existed for her right now. She remembered the old ceremonial dances that had been performed on festival days in Nibelheim. They were sacred petitions to the gods, dancing around a bonfire, all your soul put into the movement. No one remembered who started them or why, all they knew was the tradition behind them. She'd been fortunate enough to participate in one before the town was destroyed. It was for the harvest festival and she was to perform in the Bon Odori--the sacred dance of the mountain god. Only girls thirteen years or older were allowed to perform. She was fourteen at the time. She had been so excited about learning the dance, proud to finally wear the special costume all Bon Odori performers got to wear.

In the shadows of her memory, she could see her younger self. Swan like arms shaping the air, slim body pivoting simultaneously with all the other dancers, silhouetted ghosts, twisting as the bonfire behind them burned. She remembered the feeling of that night, like she was really petitioning the gods and that somehow through the dance, she could speak with them and they could grant the wishes of her heart. On a dance floor that night, she made her petition anew. It was hardly the place or even the time, but did the gods really care where you prayed? She set her soul free, letting all her sorrow go for a fleeting moment. Praying that they'd all make it out of this alive. That things would be okay and the worry in her heart she'd carried since they'd left Midgar would resolve itself.

Her eyes flew open as she felt the unmistakable feel of a hand squeezing her ass. It jarred her from her moment of serenity and firmly placed her back into the real world. She froze and turned slowly, wanting to see the face of the squeezer before she tore his arm off and stuffed it in a very uncomfortable place. Red hair, blue eyes, rumpled navy suit. Those details combined into the image of her annoyance. One man who she'd run out of her own bar a thousand times but kept coming back for more. _He must like pain_...

"Reno." She said flatly, through gritted teeth.

Her eyes narrowed and he flipped her a sideways grin, his hand reaching out for her chest...fingers poised to grab. She caught his fingers in a vice grip, pulling them back farther than a human finger should go. He squealed in pain and she released him. Leaving him to recover on the floor, she pushed through the crowd to find Aeris. She wasn't far away and without a word, Tifa grabbed her wrist and dragged the flower girl off the dance floor. Aeris pulled back, halfway off, breaking Tifa's iron hold.

"HEY?! What's the big idea?" She shouted, over the music.

Tifa pointed to Reno, who'd managed to pick his ass off the dance floor and was still nursing his wounded fingers. "Turk on the dance floor. Must leave NOW!"

Aeris needed no further convincing and made her own beeline out of there. Her green eyes widened in alarm as she grabbed Tifa's wrist and moved towards the second floor. Reno hadn't seen them, that was a good thing. Tifa directed the flower girl to the second floor's balcony. Both stumbled outside, curiously observing the layout of the porch. The music was muted now and both could talk in blessedly normal tones. Aeris spared a worried glance at her friend, who seemed perturbed by something. An angry frown on her face, the muscles so tight that a narrow little line carved itself between her eyes.

"You okay?" a curt nod, "What did he want?"

Tifa was tempted to reply, _my ass_, but bit it back, "Don't know. Don't care."

"He grabbed your bum, didn't he?"

Tifa blinked, "How'd you know?"

"Because only one Turk I know could inspire such a mood. Plus, he left a big 'ol hand print on your hinder." Aeris said, helpfully pointing to the handprint in question.

Tifa stood up and turned to look at it, smoothing the spot with one hand. Coming into contact with an obvious wet spot. Wet AND sticky. She lifted her hand to smell it. Several thoughts crossed her mind, none of them made her happy. _Tequila. Really cheap tequila. Tequila from a fricking jello shot_! Now she'd have to go through the rest of the night with a sticky, red stain on her ass. Either that, or a large wet one that would make it look like she pissed herself.

"AW! BASTARD!! GOD!" she cursed, wiping off her hand on the nearest available napkin, "The next time I see that sonvabitch I'm gonna break his god damned fingers and feed them to him sideways! SON OF A WHORE!"

Aeris giggled, finding a comfortable spot on the balcony as Tifa continued her verbal rampage. It wasn't the smartest place to hide, Tifa reflected, in-between swearing to kill the red headed Turk. There weren't many people on the open-air balcony and they were exposed, easy to find. The plus side was they were near the fire escape and since there was only one entrance, they'd be able to see them coming. She wasn't overly worried about the Turks anyway. They were pussycats compared to the larger threat they faced.

"Hey. Look! Yuffie!" Aeris pointed the ninja out.

She had a small assembly of people gathered around her table, which was far to the left of the one Tifa and Aeris occupied. She was playing a Wutanese drinking game with an unsuspecting bar patron. They were playing for quite the pile of gil, which was placed in plain sight on the table. Tifa shook her head. The little ninja was playing the bastard for a fool and taking all his money in one fell swoop.

"Huh." Tifa replied, frowning a bit disinterestedly as she waved over a waitress.

She ordered a vodka tonic, picking out the best vodka they had in the house. Also requesting a cup of water to wash off her sticky ass. Having someone play grab ass with her had put her in a foul mood and she needed something to take the edge off. Or to get her drunk enough to find Reno and beat a lesson into his face he'd never forget. Aeris didn't drink alcohol and therefore ordered a virgin strawberry daiquiri.

They chatted while they waited. Well, it was really Aeris doing most of the talking as Tifa listened sullenly, rubbing at the sticky spot on her bottom. The drinks came and the fighter's mood brightened. Quickly, she grabbed for the water first, taking a napkin to the stain on her dress and rubbing it until she was satisfied it was gone. There was lingering annoyance, but it soon faded. She downed her drink, feeling much better as she was consumed by a pleasant buzz. It might have been the vodka, but she was feeling happier. Or perhaps it was just her friend's infectious cheer. Either way, her dark mood was dispelled as she listened to Aeris talked with great animation about whatever came to mind. The flower girl seemed awed and excited by everything. Having spent her entire life in Midgar, everything in the world was new for her. It was nice to see things with a fresh pair of eyes, instead of her own jaded ones.

Sipping demurely on her daiquiri, she told Tifa about her life, about being a Cetra...what little she did know. And those simple subjects blossomed into discussions of her worries that she'd carried since their encounter with Sephiroth on the boat over. She was afraid. She'd thought she was the last. She thought she was so sure...Sephiroth couldn't be a Cetra, she knew this for fact...but...a kernel of doubt had nestled itself in her brain and there was so much she didn't know about who and what she was. Pouring her heart out, and Tifa couldn't help but be touched by her earnest desire to know...to at least talk about it with someone. It was obvious she hadn't vocalized this thought to anyone else, at least, not in as much depth. She had mentioned that she'd tried to tell Cloud but he'd blown her off. So she could think of no one else to tell, until now. She'd held onto these thoughts in her heart for so long, she needed to release them. Aeris frowned as she paused in her narrative, worried that she was boring her friend.

"I"m sorry to bother you with all my problems..." She said sheepishly, dunking her straw in her drink idly, "I don't think this is a virgin daiquiri...tastes funny..."

"Lemme taste." Aeris slid the drink over and she sipped, "Yep. There be rum in that thar drink..."

"Oh hell...So all that stuff I said was just a rambling drunken confession..."

Tifa laughed, "S'okay."

"NO! NO IT'S NOT!...Am I drunk now?" She said, with an anxious pout.

"Probably not after just one daiquiri...and the mix seemed awful weak to me. Though you should have a nice buzz on..."

"Oh." Aeris stared into her drink and bobbed the straw in it a few more times, "Anyway. I'm sorry for boring you. I just started babbling like an idiot and everything kinda tumbled out..." She sighed heavily, still carrying a great weight in her heart that seemed she'd never shrug.

"Don't be." Tifa said, halting her awkward apology before it finished, "You needed to talk. We all do sometimes."

"Yeah...it did feel good to get it off my chest..."

"Good. I'm glad." Tifa said simply, smiling at the flower girl warmly before it faded as she turned inward, to her own shadowed worries.

Licking her lips, she wondered if she could trust the flower girl. There had been so many secrets she kept but one, over all the others, threatened to destroy all they'd built. There were some who'd disagree but Tifa believed--she knew--that it was Cloud that held them together. As taciturn as he could be sometimes, he was a natural leader. When he spoke, everyone listened because they knew, as she did, that he'd only offer his opinion when it really mattered. When it was something that was important, that had to be said. As long as she'd known him, she knew Cloud wasn't the kind of person to waste his words. They were always careful, considered. It was this attention to thought that made him the logical choice for the leader of this quest.

He gave the group focus, where before there was none. Kept them on track when the group would try to diverge or would fall into dissent, as contradicting opinions were flung back and forth. He'd take those opinions and give them form, organize them logically until they made sense. From there, he'd come up with a compromise and often the best decision. The most important thing he did was keeping Avalanche's goal clear, despite all the sidetracking they'd had to do. The main, most important goal was to stop Sephiroth and he made sure each and every one of them kept that same goal in mind. Without him, they'd be disorganized and the group would eventually self-destruct because of internal tension, which was always just on the surface.

She let out a long breath and gently rubbed her forehead, "Aeris, can you keep a secret?"

It was a stupid question, but she had to ask. She needed the assurance that she'd be able to trust the flower girl.

"Sure. What is it?"

"Something's been bothering me since we've started and I'm not sure where to begin..." She said, lowering her voice without realizing it as she dimly rubbed her index finger over the rim of her glass, "Remember when we were in Kalm and Cloud told everyone about what happened to Nibelheim?"

"Mmm-hmm." Aeris nodded, steepling her hands, her eyes glittering intently as she listened, "What about it?"

Tifa looked away, obviously wrestling with something very difficult. The look on her face was deadly serious as she gazed out at the ocean. She tilted her head to play with her earring nervously, she was acutely agitated as sorrow and anger combined in a powerful combination that in another circumstance might have exploded. Instead, it was slowed to a dull ache that beat the back of her mind, looking for a release. It was the moment Aeris had waited for, the one she'd knew would come. From the moment she'd met the fighter, she could feel the weight that she carried with her at all times. The hard and burning burden of her anger radiated from her, even when at rest. Tifa was the kind who'd hold such a burden in her heart, locking it away from those who could help her. Too stubborn and independent to shrug it off and let someone else carry it for a while. Aeris had hoped that if she opened up, it would cause Tifa to let go and allow her in...to let her help her. She was pleased to see her plan had worked but she was worried for her friend. Whatever her burden was, it was incredibly painful.

"There's a problem with his story..." Tifa said, in a quietly firm voice, her dark eyes moving away from the ocean and locking onto Aeris's. "There's a problem because he wasn't there."

This was serious. Aeris's eyes widened in disbelief, her hand going to her heart, "What...W-what do you mean by that?"

Tifa sighed heavily, crossing her arms and leaning on the table, "I mean. When Shinra came to Nibelheim five years ago, Cloud wasn't with them. He never came home."

"...Are you sure?" Aeris asked carefully, knowing the question was likely to offend but she needed to know.

"Yes. I'm very sure. That night...that night is _burned_ into my memory and he wasn't there for any of it." Tifa trailed off, tears coming to her eyes. _He never kept his promise_....

"But...I don't understand. It doesn't make any sense. No one knew Nibelheim burned down, right? So, if he wasn't there...how did he know?"

"That's just it. I don't know...." Tifa answered, laughing bitterly as she became more upset, "I feel like I'm taking crazy pills because I KNOW he wasn't there. I know it. But the things he said...the things he knows only someone who was there on that night would know and it's crazy...because he shouldn't know it. And all I can think is HOW? How does he know these things he shouldn't...Shinra swept this under the rug, there's no way he could have gotten it from the papers...I doubt they even have any files on it anymore. So how does he know? He shouldn't know..." Tifa covered her face with her hands, running them through her hair to calm herself down.

"Oh, my god...Tifa, why haven't you said anything? If it's true..."

"It IS true...and what would you say if you were in my position? Your childhood friend comes back after five years. You get to talking and as you talk, you realize something's not right. But you don't say anything because you're just glad to see a familiar face. Time goes by, you start to notice things. Little ticks that weren't there, gaps in his memory....and sometimes he doesn't even act like the boy you knew so long ago. But you blow it off; tell yourself it's just the passage of time. He's a solider; he's seen things that could have changed him. And then, Sephiroth shows up...we go to Kalm. We talk. And he tells the story of Nibelheim like he was there. What do you say? Do you just jump up and shout 'you weren't there, you're lying?' I couldn't say it, Aeris. Could you? It's my word against his and I don't want to get into that argument. I have no proof...other than my memory. So what would you do, if you were in my shoes?"

"I don't know....God...but...we have to say something, Tifa."

"We can't....If we do, this whole thing ends now. You know it. I know it. Cloud is our leader...at the same time, there's something really wrong with him. And knowing that hardly inspires confidence...and if you haven't noticed, everyone doesn't exactly get along as it is." Tifa paused for a minute, gathering her thoughts, "It was just stupid of me to have brought it up at all..." She frowned and allowed herself to wallow in her own agony, holding her head in her hand.

Aeris watched her friend, analyzing all that she said. It was true; there was something wrong with Cloud. She'd never been able to pin point it but there did seem to be something amiss...slightly off about his behavior. And she hadn't known him as long as Tifa had. Despite all of that, he did make a good leader and she knew that everyone would be lost without him. At the same time, something as big as this shouldn't be kept from everyone. They had a right to know. Tifa was right on one point, however. They had no proof and Aeris wasn't willing to go and point a finger until they knew more.

Aeris smiled and reached out, setting her hand over Tifa's, "No, you weren't stupid. You're right. We can't say anything...at least not until we know more, okay?" The fighter looked up, almost relieved, "Sooner or later, we WILL have to tell everyone...but for now, it's just between you and me."

"Thank you." Tifa replied, smiling back at her softly before squeezing her hand.

"You're welcome..."

Aeris was about to say something but was interrupted by the waitress, who handed them both brand new drinks. Tifa stared at her vodka and then at the waitress, digging back in her pocket for money. She didn't remember asking for another drink but...

The waitress saw her and held up her hand, "You're already paid for, ma'am."

"Wha?"

"That gentleman over there took care of the bill..."

The waitress pointed out a man sitting over at Yuffie's table. A sizeable crowd had gathered around the young ninja. She'd appropriated another victim, who sat in front of her downing drinks like a mad man. It was Reno, but that wasn't what bothered her. The one who'd bought their drinks, the one the waitress had identified as their mysterious benefactor was none other than Rude. Who sat next to his friend watching the contest with extreme disinterest. The bald man turned, probably to check and see if the drinks had been delivered. Tifa favored him with an angry scowl and turned her back on him. She nearly choked in surprise as Aeris stood up, smiling and waving him over.

"What are you doing?" Tifa hissed.

"Well, we should thank him, shouldn't we?"

"NO!" dark eyes widened as Aeris reached for her drink and sipped, "Don't drink that!!"

"Why?"

"Because he probably spiked i--"

"Don't be paranoid!"

"I'm NOT! He's a Turk...he's..." and she trailed off as the man in question walked over and joined them. "Dammit."

* * *

**Author's note--OF D-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-M!**

Um...well this was ONLY supposed to be TWO chapters. But guess what? I got diarrhea of the word processor and it's probably gonna be three now. This chapter isn't as funny as the last. That's why I put it as humor/drama. So don't hit me because it isn't that funny...alright. The next chapter is gonna be fun. Strange. This story started out as a small thing. I was only thinking it'd be a one chapter thing. But it just grew and grew, because I had some things to say. Some things I wanted to explore. I create more problems for myself than I need to. Anyways. I'm hoping people are enjoying this and having fun...as much fun as I've had writing this.

Interesting side note. The comment made by the bouncer--Naked or what--is based on a real life event. I actually had a guy who asked me that at a dance club once. Though my reply wasn't as cool as Yuffie's. Mine was more like...Uh....no?

Thanks for reading!

Ciao,

Noa


	3. Damn Good Times

Tifa looked out at the muted purple sky, staring at the lapping waves that shone sliver in the glistening moonlight. To the casual observer, the look on her face was melancholic and pensive as she gazed out at the ocean like some wistful romantic pondering unrequited love. In point of fact, it was a blatant attempt on her part to ignore her current company and it wasn't working. At all.

For their part, Rude and Aeris didn't seem to notice her discomfort at all. They were too absorbed in their own conversation. Reminiscing was serious business. Reminiscing when drunk was even more serious. So they laughed and joked and occasionally cavorted completely oblivious to Tifa's increasing annoyance.

Downing her third vodka, she felt aggravated and dissatisfied with many things, the foremost reason for her dissatisfaction being the Turk who sat so nonchalantly next to her like he belonged there. This was a girl's night out, dammit!! AND HE WASN'T A GIRL! They hadn't let Cloud tag along and he was their friend. There was just no way he should be here and he was...and it was annoying.

Not to say tonight wouldn't involve men. Far from it. There was supposed to be much flirting and making out and dancing and maybe more making out. But with anonymous strangers! Not with Turks! She supposed she was being a bit unreasonable. Vodka had a way of doing that to her, but it was the principle of the thing! She turned to glare at him as surreptitiously as she could. He noticed and smiled.

Bastard.

Ordering a Long Island, she listed the many good reasons not to associate with a Turk. The first being...HE WAS A GOD DAMNED TURK. The second was more personal but valid all the same. It was no secret Rude had a bit of a crush on her. He'd admitted as much one night when he'd had one too many at her bar. Needless to say, she was horribly embarrassed about it and pretended she hadn't heard it, more for her own dignity than his. The very idea of it! It just...it just...it just didn't sit well with her. It was all wrong.

Perhaps in some sort of super-no-way world she'd go out with him but as it stood now in the real world...hell would freeze over first. Though she had to admit it wasn't because he was bad looking or anything and he did sort of have a decent personality...if you took away the part about him killing people for money. And had he been a normal guy she'd probably have gone out with him. Okay, maybe not seriously. Because in Tifa's opinion there were two kinds of guys—There were the cute guys you banged and like a good bartender, you turned them out before sunrise because really...they weren't good for much beyond a few thrusts. Then there were the kinds of guys that you really liked and could have a good conversation with when you woke up in the morning...and maybe you thought about keeping them for awhile. And then there was Cloud but he was in a class all his own...

Thinking on which category Rude might fall into, she decided that she'd probably pity fuck him and maybe keep him as a friend afterwards...depending. He was a pretty good drinking buddy, but she couldn't imagine he'd be much more. Then again...she could be wrong about him. Maybe he was a scholar ne plus ultra. Maybe he had a worn out copy of Professor Gast's "_Universal Natural History and Theory of Heaven: a New Explanation of Metaphysical Knowledge_" hidden in his coat pocket or something. The thought struck her as so funny that she guffawed loudly and slapped the table, earning her a pair of confused stairs from her companions.

She raised her eyebrows imperiously and cracked a crooked smile as she took a sip of her Long Island. "Cheers!"

They just shrugged their shoulders and continued their conversation. Tifa took this moment to reflect on how many drinks she'd had—three vodka tonics, one Screwdriver, a whiskey sour, and she was working on her second Long Island. So she had a pretty good buzz on right now. She looked over at Aeris, who was completely sloshed. The girl had drunk at least four or five more daiquiris after the first two and now she was working on a margarita.

Aeris giggled shrilly, slurring in a high pitched voice, "D'ya 'member tha' time h' got 'is head stuck in a sewer intake valve? I thaght he'd nebber git hish head ou'..."

Rude laughed, "Okay. Enough drinks for you..."

And with that he took away her margarita. She pouted but accepted the water he'd ordered for her instead. Tifa narrowed her eyes and downed her Long Island in one gulp. Bastard! How dare he be a nice guy! The specter of Shinra hung over him...he wasn't allowed! In the order of things it was right out and she meant to put a stop to it.

Aeris couldn't do it because she was too busy staring at the ice in her water as she stirred it. Yuffie was off doing whatever it was Yuffie did when no one else was looking. It was up to her. She ordered her third Long Island and glared at him.

"So...what's the deal?"

He looked at her blankly, an eyebrow lifting underneath his dark glasses.

"You—Turk. We—wanted criminals. Need I say more?"

Rude gave her a small, mysterious smile and raised his glass cheerfully. "We're off duty."

"That so?"

"Mm-hmm. On our way to Wutai for a well needed vacation. Thought we'd stop here and enjoy the sights."

"Huh. Lucky for us then."

"Yeah. Lucky for both of us..."

Tifa blushed violently, sipping on her straw with as much dignity as she could. He laughed and she mumbled, "Don't get any ideas, buddy..."

This almost pleasant moment was broken by the distinct sounds of a ruckus coming from the table across the way. Reno and Yuffie were clearly having some kind of disagreement. Their raised voices had begun to draw a crowd...and just when they seemed to calm, things made a turn for the worst. Reno accused her of having the waitress dilute her drink with water. Yuffie then seemed to lose all sense of reason.

"I'LL SHOW YOU SOME MOTHER-FUCKIN' WATER...YOU 笨天生的一堆肉!!"

That being said, she grabbed a drink from the nearest passing waitress and threw it, shot glass and all, at Reno. It bounced off his head, showering him and those surrounding him with tequila. Every single person in the bar froze. Yuffie's eyes widened and she went a little pale for a moment, but it wasn't long before her arrogant bravado returned. She looked the red haired Turk straight in the eyes, daring him to make a move. He twitched and wiped the tequila off his face with a napkin he'd swiped from a gap-mouthed onlooker.

"You know...I don't normally hit girls but you're making that vow awful temptin' to break."

She looked at him with eyes narrowed and drawled, "You think I'm scared of a 狗操的 jackass like you? Puh-leeeeeeeeeeese."

He twitched again. She smirked. And in the blink of an eye, they leapt at each other so quickly that no one could rightly say who'd thrown the first punch. When she looked over at Rude, she found he was as pale as she was. There were only two words that could explain exactly what she felt at that moment. _Oh...shit_.

They both stood up and watched in horror as Yuffie and Reno tore a swath through the nightclub's patio. She back-flipped, feet connecting with his chin and he stumbled backwards and shook his head, barely blocking a punch aimed at him. Holding her fist in one hand, he swung her around and threw her into a nearby table. She staggered to her feet, using a very large bald man for purchase. Ducking and rolling, she tore one of the waitress's drink platters from her hands and flung it at him. It grazed the side of his head before he caught it and threw it behind him without looking. It dinged another patron, who got up to see who'd thrown it at him.

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?" A voice boomed, interrupting the rather good fight Yuffie and Reno were currently having.

Reno had been in the middle of blocking a kick, when he paused to regard the man coolly. Pushing Yuffie back almost lazily, he rushed the approaching bar patron and elbowed him hard in the stomach. The man crumpled to the floor and Reno kicked while he was down. Snarling snidely, "Mind your own fuckin' business, asshole."

Which would have been cooler had he not been tackled moments later by a five foot two teenaged ninja.

Tifa and Rude watched this with the dull kind of horror that was reserved only for innocent bystanders. In her head, Tifa was running a sort of commentary as the fight devolved into greater levels of stupidity--A swinging sidekick here, a few blocked punches there. Oh, Reno throwing Yuffie by the ankle into one of the club's bouncers...that was a nice touch. Within a few minutes the entire bar was up and brawling. Just as abruptly, the instigators of the fight had forgotten their differences and proceeded, as a tag-team, to beat the shit out of other people instead.

Rude and Tifa could do nothing but watch...stunned silent while anarchy rose around them. Until, of course, a rowdy, drunken participant in the fight tried starting some shit with her. It was just another drunk tearing at her clothes and feeling her up because the liquor gave him courage but for some reason she was way less tolerant than she'd ever been before. Usually, she'd just throw his ass out the nearest available door or window. Tonight, tonight was different. Tonight, she felt like busting his ass and before she knew it, she was trading blows with everyone else, back to back with the very Turk she'd wanted nothing to do with minutes before.

Ducking a particularly sloppy swing, she caught her assailant's wrist and flipped him into a table. Taking an odd kind of satisfaction in the sound his body made as it connected with glass and wood, she paused long enough to properly admire her work. She was so caught up that she would have been bum-rushed by a very angry drag queen. The very same drag queen in the pink dress she'd seen and admired earlier and if Rude hadn't intercepted her...

Well then, she could have listed '_being bum-rushed by a drag queen_' on her list of weird things that had happened to her. She was almost disappointed. Pushing it to the back of her mind, she struggled out of her shoes as they were hindering her more than helping. She tied the long straps together and hung them around her neck, smiling brilliantly at her genius. And when the chance arose, she used those shoes like a primitive and very fashionable sling. Knocking out a Go-go dancer who'd latched onto Rude's back and had been clawing at his face like a cat on crack.

Working together, they fought their way through the crowd to retrieve their friends, who were still in the middle of the fight. Punching some catty club hopper in the face, she turned and looked out towards the street. She could hear the telltale sirens and if she looked closely enough, she could see the blue and red lights flashing in the distance. The cops had been called.

_Shit!_

They'd have to hightail it out of there if they wanted to avoid trouble. Rolling her shoulder, she flipped the club-hopper over her shoulder, sending her limp, unconscious body barreling into a group of four rowdy frat boys, who collapsed into a rumpled heap.

Rude was currently going at it with a guy about his size but clearly half his intelligence...as his opponent had the stance of a man who'd watched one too many cowboy movies and his punches were so obviously telegraphed that a six year old could have predicted when he'd swing. Tifa recognized him as one of the bouncers. The very same bouncer who'd given Yuffie shit when they'd entered.

One of his little cronies was sneaking behind Rude, bottle in hand. She swiftly grabbed his hand and disarmed him, twisting it so she could deliver a powerful kick to his sternum, powerful enough to send him flying out of her hands and onto the floor; where he slid for a few feet before stopping. Tossing the bottle one handed, she shouted out to Rude, telling him to duck before she caught the thing mid-air and threw it right at the bouncer's head. Moving at just the right time, Rude was able to watch the bottle connected with the man's head and he couldn't help but smile a little.

"Good shot."

"I try..." She said as she grinned and shrugged, throwing a couple of more punches.

The sound of Yuffie screaming obscenities in Wutanese drew their attention back and they waded through the crowded. And after breaking a few faces here and there, they struggled their way to Reno and Yuffie, who had appropriated a pair of patio umbrellas which they were wielding like Wutanese warrior monks, swinging the things around their heads like gaudy naginatas.

Weaving through the crowd and quite sure Rude was behind her, she ran up to Yuffie, taking out a couple of people on the way. The young ninja had just done a lovely spinning move with her umbrella/naginata, kneecapping several able young seamen in one graceful stroke. They lay on the ground around her, holding their knees and crying for their mamas.

Laughing heartily, she did some kind of fancy finishing move before pronouncing. "HA! What a bunch of pansies! NO ONE MESSES WITH THE GREAT NINJA YUFFIE!"

"Yeah, well the great ninja Yuffie might wanna beat cheeks...lest she get busted by the cops for underage drinking, disturbing the peace and just being a general pain in my ass," Tifa commented blandly, taking away her mighty umbrella-nata and dragging her by the wrist through the crowd.

She didn't look back to see that Rude had done much the same thing. Difference being, he'd grabbed Reno 'round the waist and hauled him off like a sack of flour. Tifa stopped once they found a place in the club that was relatively safe, quiet and devoid of violence.

Straightening his jacket and wiping away the blood gushing from his nose, Reno smiled and held his hand out. He and Yuffie shook hands and bowed, and then proceeded to hug each other and cry...like good and proper...extremely drunk...warriors.

Rude laughed and shook his head. "I think it's time we said our goodbyes."

"Yeah...I'd say thank you for the nice time but..." And she trailed off, gesturing to the chaos behind them.

"What? I'd say this was probably the best date I've ever had..."

Somehow all the tension she'd felt that day had fled and she realized...he was right. And this time, it was Tifa who laughed and shook her head.

"Yeah, I guess you're right...it was a pretty good time..."

"A _damn_ good time."

She grabbed Yuffie by the collar suddenly, pulling a drink out of her hands.

"No more rum drinky for you, short round."

Then she remembered something. Something very, very important and she dropped Yuffie so quickly that the girl fell to the ground in a very undignified heap.

"Holy shit! Where's Aeris???"

The sound of glass shattering just behind her caused her to snap her head around. What she saw there was the most mind-boggling thing she'd ever seen. Aeris, the little pacifist of the group, had beaned some guy on the head with a beer bottle. She just stood there as he crumpled, broken bottle held delicately in one hand as she stared at him with a look of earnest amazement on her face like she'd never seen anyone taken down that way. Blinking, she stepped over him demurely, wobbling just a bit, having sobered up a tad by now, as she walked towards her friends. And once she got there, she wrinkled her nose, threw away the broken bottle and rubbed her hands together before giving them the brightest smile they'd ever seen.

"Well, that was fun! Where to next?"

And before Tifa could object, Yuffie had suggested enthusiastically, "How 'bout the 'Yellow Submarine'? It's supposta be ultra exclusive...I stole an invite from this guy..." She pulled it from a pocket and held it out for all to see. "I can bring anyone I want...plus...this thing gets us an all night two for one special..."

"FUCK YEAH!" Reno exclaimed, putting an arm over Yuffie as they staggered out of the club and into the street. He turned back and smiled drunkenly. "Joo comin' Aeriff...Earssshh...Raris...A-a-aerishfth..."

The flower girl trotted forward and shook her head, taking his other arm and draping it over her shoulder. "Uh..._yeah_. Someone has to keep the two of you out of trouble."

Rude and Tifa watched them with eyebrows raised.

"Well, that's doubtful," Tifa snarked quietly, unable to hide the sardonic bite in her voice.

"So...I guess this means you'll have to suffer me for just a bit longer. Think you can handle hanging out with a Turk for that long?"

Tifa thought for a moment, tipped her head and held out an arm. "Don't know yet. I'll get back to you later..." She paused for a moment, nodding her head again in encouragement. He was waiting for a better answer. "OH! C'mon. We're on vacation. You're on vacation. It's a win-win..." Another, more thoughtful pause and then. "But this time...no bar fights."

Rude grinned, chortling. "I ain't promisin' nothin'."

She scowled half-heartedly, putting every effort into not smiling and failing miserably. "Bastard."

"So says mom..."

They laughed together and it was genuine and carefree. Tonight he wasn't a Turk and she wasn't a known eco-terrorist on the lamb from Shinra. There was no Sephiroth. No imminent doom hanging over their heads. They were just two people enjoying Costa del Sol's vibrant night life and that was enough. He took her arm and they followed their friends down the street and she wondered for a moment where the road might take them...Suddenly, it really didn't matter that much.

She wasn't much for proverbs or anything...but someone once said it wasn't the destination...it was the journey. So for tonight, she'd allow fate to take the reigns for a moment and enjoy herself. That was what girl's night out had been all about anyway.

When all was said and done, she couldn't honestly deny that she hadn't had one helluva time. None of them could really. And the next day, when they'd stumbled in just after eleven in the morning the only thing any of them said when asked what had happened was...

Good times. _Damn_...good times.

**FIN**

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Author's Note: The Chinese in this chapter comes from a Firefly pinyin-ary, taken from the Chinese language dialogue in the show. If it is incorrect and you are fluent in Chinese, please feel free to correct me via email. A link for which you can find on my profile! Thanks! 


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